Exeter vs Bath (sat 2 pm)

[Mellsblue]

Will he play enough? On that note where is Devoto? He can do it all.

He’s always had plenty of game time when fit. Devoto played at 13 outside him at the start of last season before injury. I agree that Devoto has all the tools to play for Eng.

[Which Tyler]

Will he play enough? On that note where is Devoto? He can do it all.

Still injured; for my money, he's also still the best compromise option between the power running of Tuilagi/Te'o and the distribution or Losowski/Slade., He's not as good as those 4 at what they do, butnhes comfortably 3rd in each category.

Get him fit, get him back as first choice for Ex, and give him the 22 shirt covering 12 & 13

[Mikey Brown]

Well I saw him come back a few weeks ago in the AWC and he looked great. Wouldn't surprise me if he's injured again though.

[Which Tyler]

I stand to be sent, but I thought his original injury flared up as a result of that match

[Timbo]

I stand to be sent, but I thought his original injury flared up as a result of that match

Baxter said he has a pretty minor ankle knock and also intimated that he was a bit banged up after playing a few games after months out. When you have Chiefs squad it’s fairly easy to give players a few weeks off here and there I guess.

[Which Tyler]

Corrected I am then, thank you - though I've no idea how autocorrect got from "corrected" to "sent"

[Mikey Brown]

I've come to see your posts as a daily brain-teaser, much as I enjoy them.

[Oakboy]

Exeter keep the ball and rarely kick it away. I like that and can't understand why England don't employ the tactics. Youngs and Ford showef how not to do it in the other game.

[fivepointer]

Forgot to mention it earlier but the work of the Exeter wings was outstanding. The way they both got into the game and made consistently effective contributions was a model of how wingers need to play.

[Scrumhead]

I thought Kvesic looked good. He wasn’t massively eye catching at the breakdown from what I saw, but ran some good lines in attack and made a nice break towards the end of the first half. Early days, but hopefully he can put a run of form together to put himself on the radar again.

[Puja]

I thought Kvesic looked good. He wasn’t massively eye catching at the breakdown from what I saw, but ran some good lines in attack and made a nice break towards the end of the first half. Early days, but hopefully he can put a run of form together to put himself on the radar again.

I thought he was very good indeed. Was a big influence of the breakdown in terms of securing Exeter ball, which is what Eddie wants from his 7. If he plays like that every week, I'd be very interested in seeing him back for England.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Not seen him in ages but it’s good to hear this. Wouldn’t surprise me if Baxter was consciously taking his time getting him up to speed with how Exeter play.

If he can show some sort of balance between Underhill’s physicality and the Curry’s attacking game you’d like to think he’d be in with a shot, or is he already part of the dismissed generation?

[Mellsblue]

Hunter was chatting with Hagrid afterwards saying they were pleased with how quickly he’d got up to speed. I think he’ll get an extended run.

[Digby]

It's almost like a good player is a good player

[Puja]

It's almost like a good player is a good player

All right smug chops .

Mind, I'd still like to see him produce that on a regular basis before elevating him to international level. A good player might be a good player, but he's been doing a remarkable impression of a very average one for quite a while.

Puja

[Digby]

It's almost like a good player is a good player

All right smug chops .

Mind, I'd still like to see him produce that on a regular basis before elevating him to international level. A good player might be a good player, but he's been doing a remarkable impression of a very average one for quite a while.

Puja

He did somehow escape criticism for the Goode try last week, that was a shocking effort from Kvesic. Woodburn was bad in that try too, but I'm not interested in him for England.

[bitts]

Exeter keep the ball and rarely kick it away. I like that and can't understand why England don't employ the tactics. Youngs and Ford showef how not to do it in the other game.

I'm fairness, I'm not sure trying to keep the ball the way Exceter do would work for Leicester. It takes a lot power and accuracy to do it and I'm not sure the Tigers are there.

Regarding Kvesic. Anyone else worry that he'll never get back on the England radar, but will manage to keep Simmonds out of the side?

[Banquo]

It's almost like a good player is a good player

All right smug chops .

Mind, I'd still like to see him produce that on a regular basis before elevating him to international level. A good player might be a good player, but he's been doing a remarkable impression of a very average one for quite a while.

Puja

he's barely been selected since he told Glaws he was off, for whatever reason.

[Scrumhead]

Exeter keep the ball and rarely kick it away. I like that and can't understand why England don't employ the tactics. Youngs and Ford showef how not to do it in the other game.

I'm fairness, I'm not sure trying to keep the ball the way Exceter do would work for Leicester. It takes a lot power and accuracy to do it and I'm not sure the Tigers are there.

Regarding Kvesic. Anyone else worry that he'll never get back on the England radar, but will manage to keep Simmonds out of the side?

I thought Oakboy’s point was that England should adopt a similar game plan to Exeter, not Leicester? We have the players to do it, it’s just not the way we play under Eddie.

Re. Kvesic, I agree - the worst case scenario is that he fails to catch Eddie’s eye but becomes a fixture in the Exeter side to the point that he’s limiting Simmonds’ game time.

I’m not drawing any conclusions just yet, perhaps Exeter wanted to give Simmonds a rest whilst giving Waldrom a run out. With Cowan-Dickie and Hepburn back, they have other carriers in the pack, so you could argue that Waldrom’s bulk isn’t necessarily required.

[Digby]

It's almost like a good player is a good player

All right smug chops .

Mind, I'd still like to see him produce that on a regular basis before elevating him to international level. A good player might be a good player, but he's been doing a remarkable impression of a very average one for quite a while.

Puja

he's barely been selected since he told Glaws he was off, for whatever reason.

Perhaps they saw he was going to give it the full Jonathan Webb in defence as he did against Earle and Goode last week, that or they ignored a very good player for no good reason

[twitchy]

Exeter keep the ball and rarely kick it away. I like that and can't understand why England don't employ the tactics. Youngs and Ford showef how not to do it in the other game.

I'm fairness, I'm not sure trying to keep the ball the way Exceter do would work for Leicester. It takes a lot power and accuracy to do it and I'm not sure the Tigers are there.

Regarding Kvesic. Anyone else worry that he'll never get back on the England radar, but will manage to keep Simmonds out of the side?

I thought Oakboy’s point was that England should adopt a similar game plan to Exeter, not Leicester? We have the players to do it, it’s just not the way we play under Eddie.

Re. Kvesic, I agree - the worst case scenario is that he fails to catch Eddie’s eye but becomes a fixture in the Exeter side to the point that he’s limiting Simmonds’ game time.

I’m not drawing any conclusions just yet, perhaps Exeter wanted to give Simmonds a rest whilst giving Waldrom a run out. With Cowan-Dickie and Hepburn back, they have other carriers in the pack, so you could argue that Waldrom’s bulk isn’t necessarily required.

Since coming back from injury I reckon waldrom must have the best stats of any 8 in the prem so I doubt he will be getting dropped.

[Digby]

Since coming back from injury I reckon waldrom must have the best stats of any 8 in the prem so I doubt he will be getting dropped.

It's not as if Simmonds was returning bad performances before he went away with England. For sure they can use Waldrom, apart from anything else to give Simmonds a breather, but if I had to annoy one of them as regards selection it'd be the 34 year old not the 23 year old

[Which Tyler]

Bath charged over Faletau release: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42242358

[Digby]

The fine should get added to the cap, and if that pushes a side over they should be fined again, and that in addition to there being some model to increasing the fine for repeat actions

[Which Tyler]

Yup